Monday, May 31, 2010

Eventing Blog


Here is an eventing blog that is about a year old that I just discovered. It features interviews with leading riders, coaches, grooms etc. I will be catching up on back posts myself and I have added it to my blog roll. It looks very well done. Three Days Three Ways. Check it out.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Have you seen this all natural sunscreen?

Do you spend time outside and do you like all natural skin products? This is a great natural sunscreen from Mea Culpa Body and Bath.

Here is the description from the maker.

Are you ready for summer? For the scorching and unforgiving sun? Well....I sure am!
Don't let the sun scare you. This natural sunscreen can help your skin fighting the sun rays and can help with a mild sunburn relief. By moisturizing every time you walk outside you can help your skin fight the UV rays.

Because of all the natural ingredients, this moisturizer can also help with regular rash, itchy and dry skin, and any irritated skin - especially because I have added Colloidal Oatmeal.

The cream will soak in very fast and its chalk full with zinc oxide! Its not in the minimal percentage - its 15% of Zinc Oxide!

I scented it with the refreshing aroma of cucumbers and green tea - dive into the world of greenness and freshness! Revitalize your mind and body!

I have formulated this with Rose Floral Water, which is an awesome moisturizer, aided by the all mighty Shea Butter and ever so soft Mango Butter. The cucumber peel extract and green tea extract are both natural sunscreens and give the skin a little cool feeling while nourishing it with vitamins and anti-oxidants. It is also said that green tea can help with minor cuts, burns and wounds.

Zinc Oxide is also here and I haven't been stingy with the ingredients - it's a mineral that the body requires for the synthesis of collagen, which is a requirement for the healing of skin wounds. Zinc is also a component in the proper functioning of enzymes that are required by the body to repair skin wounds. Another benefit of zinc for proper skin care is that it is a natural insect repellent and a natural sunscreen (zinc oxide effectively blocks the sun’s ultraviolet rays).

-- Shea butter is a wonderful agent for revitalizing our skin cells so that they regain their moisture retention capacity.
-- Rose Water is a gently cleansing and toning product for all skin types. Maintains the pH balance, stimulates regeneration processes, has a calming effect in acne and sunburns. As a result the skin texture becomes even and elastic.
-- Colloidal Oatmeal Colloidal oatmeal works great to help relieve dry, skin patches (Eczema), psoriasis, acne, bug bites, sunburns, and other minor skin irritations. It also helps relieve chicken pox, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and other itching and scratching rashes.
-- Rice Bran Oil stimulates collagen production and with that helps the skin heal faster, while keeping it soft and subtle.

Mea Culpa Body & Bath
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MeaCulpaBodyandBath

DISCLAIMER - This has not been approved by FDA. This is for informational purposes only. If you have a serious health problem, please consult your doctor.







Sunday, May 9, 2010

Social Media Don'ts

I am fairly new to the Social Media wave. My expertise is in print media so I am experimenting with sites like Facebook and Twitter as a business platform. Many people are jumping on the social media bandwagon as the greatest thing since canned beer. Others are convinced that it is a temporary craze that will burn itself out.

I don't have an opinion about the future of social media, but I have formed an opinion that many of the people online who are trying to market themselves or a product via social media might learn more from a slightly slower method.

I don't have a lot of advice about "how to" do this sort of marketing, but I have some advice about how not to.

Here are some of my pet peeves:

1. Tweets per hour is not a contest. Right now my limit is 25/hour. If I see a run of more than that on my page, you are gone. I don't care what you are selling, sharing or giving away. Go away. You are annoying. I will be shortening this up as I go along and I want to see what the more effective marketers are doing.

2. ANSWER your customers. Social media is supposed to be SOCIAL, when someone asks you a question, answer it. If you are so busy posting, tweeting, copying and pasting that you can't answer a question, don't expect that person to come back.

3. Be aware of what is going on in your own little corner of the internet. Don't tweet, post and blog about special offers, big news or new products when your site is down. Yes, stuff happens, usually at the worst time. How long does it take to make sure your site is operating properly before you blast the online universe with your ads?

4. If you are selling information and advice about marketing I would like to see what you have marketed, besides your own advice about marketing. Some of this stuff is just blatant pyramid schemes and some of it is earnest, well meaning advice from someone who has never actually put together a marketing campaign for a product, successful or not.

I'm sure I will have more as I get more experience myself. Perhaps I will even develop some of those "how to" rules.